1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of air fresheners. More specifically, the present invention discloses a propeller air freshener for use primarily in vehicles.
2. Statement of the Problem
Air fresheners have been used for many years in many settings, including cars and other types of motor vehicles. Most air fresheners employ a separate reservoir containing a liquid fragrance or a replaceable scent cartridge (e.g., a scent disk, block, or wafer) within the air freshener housing. Such designs require a separate container or dispenser into which the scent reservoir is added. This increases the initial cost of manufacturing the air freshener due to the extensive assembly and packaging required to preserve the scent until the air freshener has been placed in service by the customer. In addition, it is difficult to profitably market refills or replacement scent cartridges. Many retailers do not want to carry the inventory or take up shelf space for refills. This makes it very difficult to compete with the inexpensive disposable air fresheners that are often sold for less than one dollar each.
A number of very inexpensive air fresheners have also been marketed in the past, primarily for use in cars and other motor vehicles. These devices often have the form of small three-dimensional cloth figures (e.g., a skunk) that have been impregnated with a fragrance. Other air fresheners use a variety of two-dimensional shapes. The scent from these devices tends to be overpowering for an initial period after the device is unpackaged, but then the scent dissipates after a relatively short period of exposure. The relatively short life of such air fresheners is due to the fact that no attempt is made to control dissipation of the scent. The scent continually evaporates regardless of whether the vehicle is occupied or the vehicle's ventilation system is in use.
Examples of prior art in the field of air fresheners include the following:
______________________________________ Inventor U.S. Pat. No. Issue Date ______________________________________ McNeil 5,368,822 Nov. 29, 1994 Bender 5,269,723 Dec. 14, 1993 Tsukahara et al. 4,876,070 Oct. 24, 1989 Wade 4,840,773 June 20, 1989 Dawn 4,808,347 Feb. 28, 1989 ______________________________________
McNeil shows a scent-dispensing device having a front face with vents and a rear support for securing the housing to the vent of a blower (e.g., a furnace or air conditioner). A fragrance block with passages therethrough is inserted into the housing.
Bender shows an example of an air freshener for use in vehicles.
Tsukahara et al. disclose an air blower apparatus having synthetic resin components that come in contact with the air flow. The synthetic resin components are molded from polypropylene containing an antimicrobial agent.
Wade shows an air freshener with a U-shaped clip 54 that is used to fastened the air freshener to the louvers covering the interior vent in an automobile.
Dawn shows a fan-driven air freshener that is designed to be plugged into the cigarette lighter of a vehicle. The fan propeller 29 draws air through a replaceable scent disk 39 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 of the Dawn patent.
In addition to the prior art listed above, scented plastics have been used for many years in a variety of fields, including air fresheners. For example, low-density polyethylene can be impregnated with fragrance during the molding process, so that the fragrance material makes up approximately 20% to 25% of the molded article. Scented plastics have conventionally been used as replaceable scent cartridges (e.g., disks, blocks, or wafers) within the air freshener housing, rather than as the air freshener device itself. Here again, this approach requires a separate container or dispenser into which a scent disk or scent block is added to provide a fragrance reservoir.
3. Solution to the Problem
None of the prior art references uncovered in the search show an air freshener that uses a rotor or propeller made of scented plastic to disperse a fragrance in the air flow from a vent. In particular, the present invention eliminates the need for a separate air freshener structure and fragrance reservoir, by combining scented plastic directly into the air freshener structure. In addition, the rotor spins to dispense the fragrance only when the vehicle's ventilation system is in operation. This helps to lengthen the useful life of the air freshener by dispensing the scent only when the vehicle is in operation. The present device can be easily molded and assembled at minimal cost so that it can compete with even the least expensive air fresheners on the market. Finally, the present invention has considerable play value, which is useful in keeping children (or adults) entertained and amused.